There is no doubting that the Pittsburgh Steelers have had a ton of growing pains throughout the 2022 season. The franchise has an extremely young offense and while it has not always been pretty, the unit has absolutely shown growth, especially since the Week 9 bye. One of the most talked about positional groups since training camp has been the one with big men up front blocking. The offensive line has certainly had its quirks, but the overall health has led to the group working as a collective and it's hard to ignore how much better they have gotten playing together each and every week.
Aug 12, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive guard Kevin Dotson (69) and offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr. (65) walk off the field against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. | Eric Hartline / USA TODAY Sports
Pittsburgh dominated the line of scrimmage in the running game for the majority of the contest. Running backs, Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren combined for 187 yards on the ground and the offense as a whole had 198 rushing yards. The unit nearly averaged five yards a rush and whether the Steelers miraculously slip into the playoffs or not, the line is proving some of the early-season criticism was premature. Harris gave all of the love to the group following the win when asked about what helped the team pull off the victory:
"Man the [offensive] line controlled the whole game. Shout out to the 0-line man. From when we started, now where we're at. We're turned around from the bye week. The way we stick together through all the negativity. Man from the media and all the outside noise. We really stuck together and made the most of the opportunity."
Steelers running back, Najee Harris (#22) stands on the field at Acrisure Stadium before a 2022 regular season game against the New York Jets in Pittsburgh, PA. | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Harris continued to compliment the guys who block for him and the other ball carriers. In a game that had many twists and turns, the line remained consistent:
"Who won the game was the o-line. The o-line played their a*s off. This was a good defense, stopping the run. I think it was really physical. They got two good linebackers and they did a good job of controlling them. Really, just the o-line."
The second-year running back went into even more detail on the podium following the nerve-racking win, specifically pointing out the correlation of the Steelers being victorious when the line of scrimmage is dominated on the offensive side.
"When we control the line of scrimmage, we win the game. It’s plain and simple. That’s what Mike [Tomlin] challenged us as an offense this week."
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JANUARY 01: Najee Harris #22 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates a first down against the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter at M&T Bank Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
There is definitely something to be said about how much the offensive line has progressed throughout the last few months. Drafting a potential franchise left tackle early in April's draft is not off the table, but the group as a whole has absolutely silenced critics with several dominant rushing performances and consistent protection for rookie quarterback, Kenny Pickett. They were awesome on the game-winning drive in Baltimore and deserve a ton of credit following Week 17 as they silenced many who doubted their abilities.
Do you think the offensive line deserves a game ball for a great performance against the Ravens? Let us know in the comments below!
#SteelerNation
